Day 1 - Conquered

Glory! Hallelujah! And pass the offering plate. We have everyone in the bed and it's 9:30p. I'm so excited (and ready for bed myself) I can't hardly stand it.

Let me begin by getting all you late arrivals up to speed on what is happening. We are NOT adopting. We are HOSTING. New Horizons for Children (NHFC) is an orphan hosting program that brings Eastern European kiddos to the states twice a year - during the summer and during Christmas. (They are also opening a China hosting program and that crew will come for the first time in Feb. Yay!) And before you get worried, let me explain that these kids would be travelling during these seasons anyway and going on some sort of holiday. Coming to the States is just in place of another institution, camp, or European destination. Now Denys (our handsome fella) is available for adoption and if you are interested in that please talk with us and let us know, but under NO circumstances is anyone to say anything to him regarding the "A Word." It's off limits. Period.

*Just checked on this awesome kid and he is snoozing! Yay! I told him lights out & video games off at 9:30p and he complied! Wow!*

If you saw my earlier post I want to explain that I in no way meant anything negative towards NHFC. They have done a fabulous job putting this program together and because of international flight delays, that were completely out of there control, have nearly 230 eastern Europeans at their expected destinations (among nearly as many families) in under 24 hours. That's outstanding work! My intent was merely to share how overwhelmed I was feeling. NHFC has done a superb job preparing us; there's just no way to not be overwhelmed when a 14-year-old who speaks no English joins your family!

The good news is that he's eaten everything I put in front of him thus far. He did choose the pizza (fresh deli pizza) for lunch. Dinner was BBQ chicken (NC style) with roasted potatoes, peas/broccoli, and bread. He also had some Southern sweet tea! He cleaned his plate and, when offered, did not choose seconds.

Funny food story - I was teaching him to put his plate in the sink when finished eating and he thought I meant for him to wash it!

As far as the kiddos go, Jonah, Millie Grace, and Anna Ruth love him already. AR follows him around saying, "Hey, Denys. Hey, Denys. Hey, Denys." The highlight of my day was to the oldest 3 in a Nerf gun battle all over the yard (anyone want to donate Nerf bullets??) They had a BLAST. Even when MaMac (my grandmother) came to visit she was "talking" with Denys and suddenly Nerf bullets started flying. He light up like a Christmas tree and ran off to find his gun and fire back!

And just in case you didn't know, 14-year-old boys from Ukraine smell much like 14-year-old boys from the States! He has not been nearly as excited about the American underwear I bought him as he is about his new (in the package) underwear he brought from home. I put it in his drawer anyway. I hope by the time the 3 pair he brought get dirty he'll figure out that the others are necessary. He was, however, excited about American deodorant. (Yay.)

Oh, did I mention we decorated the tree? It was fun and Denys never missed a beat - getting the back of the tree covered as nicely as the front. And we only suffered one ornament casualty in the melee!

As of now he's not used to lots of hugging, but between the 5 of us and FBC Tallapoosa he'll get over that pretty soon. Family story time seemed a little awkward for him as well, but he sat patiently while I read about Mike Huckabee opening all his Christmas presents early.

The best God-moment of the day was when I sent the kids to check the mail and Jonah came in with a package. I had ordered a Richard Scarry book in Ukrainian/English from a publisher in Canada several weeks ago. He mailed it ahead of receiving my check payment and it came today! A small event orchestrated wonderfully to coincide with Denys' arrival. Thanks to this silly little book we won't have to run to the computer every time we need to say something. It has also given me the chance to make sure my kids hear words in Ukrainian and he hears lots of specific words in English.

Whew. I think that's enough for tonight. Tomorrow is a new day and I have another 17 hours or so I've got to figure out how to fill for a house full of kiddos. Keep us in your prayers. Pray specifically that we have peace in our home, that our communication grows stronger and easier, and that God graces us all with a special love for each other.

~Meg

Ingles 4 Under $40 - December 3, 2012

I know, I know. I really stink at getting this blog post done by Monday afternoon. I'm trying, really I am, but it's looking like Tuesdays are just going to be a better day for me. The good news - This stuff stays on sale all week. So I'm thinking of changing my format to Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and leaving Sunday and Monday to fend for themselves rather than the weekend. What do you think?

Tuesday - Chicken Salad

It sounds girly  but if you do it right, any man will get full on chicken salad. Add in the fact that croissants are on sale and you're in good shape for a "lighter" mid-week dinner. If you're crew is not a fan of mayo then try Greek yogurt. The LL cups are $1.10 ea.

Tyson Boneless Combo Pack - $2.28/lb - boil and chop it up!
Apples or Pears - $1.28 - $1.78/lb - chop
Add some S&P (that's salt & pepper) and a little mayo and mix well. Throw in any variation of dried fruits or  nuts (a favorite).
Iceberg Lettuce - 78c/head
Croissants - $3.98

There you go. Easy dinner Tuesday for about $6.

Wednesday - CHURCH

Thursday - Pork Roast

Boston Butt is on sale too and if you prefer, go with it. But, I prefer a pork loin. At $4.98/lb this may run you close to $10, but it's SO WORTH IT. Rub it with your favorite seasonings (I like McCormick Mesquite rub) and toss into the Crock Pot. Add some red potatoes (3lb/$1.50) and an onion (pennies). Yumm-O-Rama! And at 78c a head, a salad is an easy extra side. Leftover croissants? Even better - Bread too!

Pork loin - $9
Red Potatoes - $1.50
Onion - pennies
Seasoning packet - ~$1

I'm thinking $12 max for this one.

Friday - Nachos

I can't resist nachos, especially when LL Tortilla chips are 3/$5. Tostitos are on sale too, but at 2/$7 who can afford them?!? And the LL chips taste just fine. For these you can use leftover chicken from Tuesday (if you have it) or go for ground beef. (I may even still have some in my freezer from early November.) Grape tomatoes are 2/$3 and your second head of Iceberg lettuce is still only 78c. LL Salsa con Queso is $2.28.

LL Tortilla Chips - $1.67/bag
Chicken or Beef - ~$2.30/lb
Lettuce - 78c
Grape Tomatoes - $1.50
LL Salsa con Queso - $2.28
Taco Seasoning Packet - ~$1

Ha. Nachos for the fam for $9!! Awesome.

Saturday - Blackeyed Peas, Greens and Cornbread

Did I do this last time I posted? I don't remember and we never ate it, but if I did sub your favorite beans/peas or do a soup. Dried peas are on sale as is bacon. I'm sure Ingles has greens this time of year (and probably very well priced), but I like Glory. They taste like "Top of the River's." Cornmeal I have on hand.

This meal is $5 without the bacon $9 with it.

Conclusion

It's hard not to get into a rut when it seems the sale papers does. I can find plenty of junk and ideas for baking, but it's getting harder and harder to add variety to meal time. Oh well, I suppose that routine is not a terrible thing - especially when it has us eating at home rather than out!

~Megan

4 Under $40 - 5Nov2012

So Tuesday is still not Monday, but it's a sight better than Thursday! Grab your boots and here we go . . .

Day 1 - Veggie Soup
With the Green Giant canned goods at $0.60/ea this week go for 5 or 6 and make some yummy veggie soup. A bonus: for every 5 you purchase Ingles will donate 1 to Manna Food Bank.  If you like it a little spicier, add a can Rotel (those have been only $1ea.) I like to pour in V8 juice (2/$4) and delve into the fridge for the frozen ground beef you should have in there if you want a "meatier" soup. Total: $8.

Day 2 - Baby Back Ribs
Baby back ribs (which I like better than country ribs) are on sale again for $3.48/lb. You'll probably get at least 2.5 lbs in a package so this will be close to $8. Put 'em in the crock pot with your bbq sauce of choice (we make our own) and slow cook 'em all afternoon. A bag of slaw and some bakery bread would be enough to round out this meal for us. Total: +/- $10.

Day 3 - Roasted Chicken Legs
Roasted chicken legs are a favorite around here.  Grab a family size package of leg quarters ($0.78/lb) add salt & pepper and put them into a dutch oven. Bake uncovered at 375 for 45 minutes. In a small bowl melt 1/4c butter. Add to it 2 cloves of garlic (crushed) and 1t dried thyme. Mix well. Removed chicken from oven and turn. Throw in potatoes, onions and carrots  and pour the butter mix over it all. Bake another hour until its all done. You may need to add a little more s&p to taste. This is a Hatchett Family Favorite for under $5! Deli bread is good, but if Pilsbury is more your suite you can grab a can of biscuits for a dollar.

Day 4 - Taco/Pasta Night
I know you may get really tired of the same old change from tacos to pasta. But, we don't. My family could eat Mexican or Italian foods nearly every night of the week. This makes my week easier and hey, the cost is so fabulous you can't go wrong. If you have a better idea for a mid-week meal cheapie then please let me know. Otherwise we'll be doing the taco or pasta thing for about $5. 

Conclusion
Ribs are always a budget buster, but they are a yummy change from the ordinary. We're a lot closer to $40 than we normally are, but it'll be worth it. To eat cheaper make some more chicken noodle soup with the leg quarters or just toss an extra package or two in the freezer so we can eat on those another week. Have a wonderful week and don't forget to be an active participant in this lovely republic we call America - that means VOTE! ;o)

~Megan

A Rather Late 4 Under $40

Yep, I'm in need of grace this week. Our lives are crazy right now and so 4 under $40 just had to take a back-seat this week. I could have done it Monday, but we finished up gymnastics and baseball. On Tuesday The Preacher took me to a super-happening Association meeting (and yes, do skip this if you ever have the opportunity to go). On Halloween our church folks tied enough balloon animals to fill a naval destroyer for all the trick-or-treaters that descend on our little town. And yesterday, well yesterday was my birthday! (34, because I know you wanted to know.)

So, if it's not too late and you are in need of some extra meals for this weekend or just want to get a head start on next week here you go -

Day 1 - Frozen Lasagne
Stouffer's Lasagne (the gigantic size) is on sale for $12.98. That's a bit above the $10/meal I shoot for, but this should feed your crew at least twice. Or if you're having company tonight it's perfect - just make sure you give yourself enough time to get it baked. Add a crusty French bread from the bakery for $1.50 and a head of lettuce and carrots and you have the prefect Italian dinner for $16.

Day 2 - French Bread Pizzas

Ok, two "Italian" meals in two days - just change it up and don't serve them in a row. ;o) Thomas's English muffins are BOGO and that makes them $2.10/pack. (I went ahead and bought two.) A super exciting find for these guys was the fancy mozzarella in the cheese fridge (just opposite the bakery) is only $2.99! Go for the good stuff in the balls and slice it thin and one piece will do for each muffin - PERFECTION! Now, my favorite pizza sauce is LE Roselli's Pizza Sauce. Unfortunately, I did not see this kind in the pizza sauce section, but I did find the marinara with the pasta sauces. Any other pizza sauce you can get for under $3. I did splurge on the mini pepperonis ($3.88), but I couldn't resist the fact they will look so cute on those little pizzas. So, if this is all you want on your pizza you've got it for $8. Check your pantry for mushrooms, use some of your frozen ground beef or grab a red bell pepper ($1.50) and chop it up nicely for some extra umph to your dish. NOTE: You may want to toast your muffins a bit before you pizza-fy them just so they don't get soggy once the sauce is added. Pop 'em in the oven at 350 until your cheese is melted and you're good to go.

Day 3 - Croissant Chicken  

Here, Lynn, is your long awaited recipe! I apologize this one wasn't done sooner. I hope you froze your chicken from last week and bought the crescent rolls because this is a good one. This will put you over your $40 for the week if you don't have these in your fridge, but it's a great recipe to keep around and serve when guests visit.

 If you can't read this email me and I'll type it out for you. After you boil your chicken retain your broth rather than opening a new can for only 1/2 a cup. Usually I serve this with rice and something nice and green. But since I'm STILL working through that 10 lbs of potatoes from a month ago I'll serve my chicken with those tonight. (FYI - they have 10lb bags on sale again and it's a great deal, but I think I'll skip it this time because I'm tired of potatoes!) If you have this stuff in your fridge/freezer this may be FREE for you this week - yeah, you already paid for it, but I'm talking about this week! If you need frozen broccoli go for the Laura Lynn big bags. They're about $6, but you can use them in several sittings. Asparagus looked good too, but it's not on sale at about $3.50 a bundle.

Day 4 - Black Beans and Rice

This is one of my favorites! And I have found I love it even more with brown rice (Mahatma $0.96/bag). To make brown rice not so sticky fry it first in a little butter and have your boiling water ready in a kettle to pour into the rice when it's golden brown. If you use the brown rice rather than the long grain white then cook it according to package directions and add it to the beans when they're done. Otherwise follow the recipe. I bought black beans the other week, but even if you didn't they're not going to run you more than $2.00. (Also check the ethnic foods isle if you prefer the Goya brand of beans.)  All-in-all a meal for under $10 and likely under $5.

Recipe - Dice a med onion (pennies), 1 garlic clove, a green and a red bell pepper ($3). Heat 2T olive oil in a large saucepan (I like my Lodge Dutch oven) and cook veggies until tender. Add 1.5 cups of tomatoes ($2) and cook 8-10 min until thick. Season with salt and pepper and stir in beans (prepped per bag instructions), 1 cup uncooked long grain rice , and water. Cover and reduce heat and cook 25 min until rice is tender.

I want to add that a sweet friend was trying to tell me this week that his wife won't let him to go the grocery store any more until she checks 4 for $40! There was a lot going on when he was talking  and it wasn't until we got home and The Preacher was telling me what he had said I realized I missed the compliment! 

Enjoy this weeks meals, late though they may be! The next few weeks should see some super fun deals in the Ingles circular just in time for the holidays. If I'm going to be this late again I'll let you know in advance!

~Megan

Ingles 4 Under $40 - 21 Oct 2012

If you make it to Ingles today, be sure to check out the meat fridge for extra deals. I found some ultra-thin pork tenderloin (2 lbs) for $6.54. That will either go into the freezer with all this week’s extra ground beef ($2.48/lb) or it will make a yummy breakfast soon. Stock up on the boneless/skinless chicken breasts ($1.88/lb) too! 

Monday

Ground beef is on sale. That opens up a world of possibilities. Sloppy Joes will cost about $4 including buns (BTW – stock up on Manwich now if you like the stuff while it’s still $1/can). Do you need to finish off last year’s canned goods? Then chili it is. Large cans of Hanover Kidney Beans are on sale for $1.98. Add a chili seasoning packet and a few cans of tomatoes (some brands are still 10/$10) and you have chili for about $7.50, if you purchase everything this week. Pasta is always a good option at our house. What do you like to do with ground beef at a low cost? Let me know!

Tuesday

Pork roast was looking good and I found a Boston Butt that was only $5.59 (1.45 lbs). I still have potatoes coming out of my ears from the last few weeks so I grabbed some organic baby carrots ($1.50lb – same as non-organic) and will do a roast. If you prefer barbeque then go for it, but if you put your Boston Butt in the crockpot and add a packet of mesquite seasoning (+/-$1) then you will have a roast that is AMAZING and your veggies will taste out of this world. See, you can have this meal at $8.09 (if you already have the potatoes) and that is less than taco night! ***You can eat well for less money than it costs to do fast food!***

Wednesday

Church – I did plan ahead when I thought this Wednesday was Halloween. Those extras will mean either White Chili on Saturday or extra for next week.

Thursday

We’re switching “Taco Tuesday” to “Taco Thursday” this week. It doesn’t have the same ring, but rather than eating ground beef two nights in a row I thought the change might be necessary. I may add variety this week and have enchiladas or burritos – wild, I know. I’ll just use all the goodies I picked up the other week when Old El Paso was running a great deal. Otherwise it breaks down to $2.48/lb for beef, $3.50 for a lb of LL block cheese, and $1.48 for a head of lettuce. Tortillas and taco seasonings will cost you +/- $3 if not already in your pantry. If this is in your stash you are looking good. If you are only a week to week shopper this meal will run you at least $10.

Friday

It’s not freezing outside, but fall is certainly in the air. I couldn’t resist the chicken breast deal ($3.82/pkg +/-). Whole, cut up chicken is unadvertised, but cheap too if you prefer that option.  Tonight it’s Chicken and Dumplings. Mary B’s dumplings are on sale for $2.38 (freezer section) and between those and the chicken I’m making this meal for $6.30. (If you don’t have a recipe you can use the one on the back of the dumpling package.) You can save a few pennies if you go the whop biscuit route and cut those into quarters, but I hear Mary B makes a mean dumpling and I am excited to give it a shot.

Conclusion

The Hatchett family will be eating well the next few weeks from all the inexpensive meats (both advertised and not) I found while shopping. Next Thursday is going be Croissant Chicken – I’ll post the recipe later. It’s a super-yummy dish so grab an extra roll of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (3/$6) to go with an extra packet of chicken breasts and keep them until then.

~Megan

Ingles 4 Under $40 - 14 Oct 2012

If you are looking for junkfood this is a great week to be an Ingles' shopper. If it's more substantial meals you're interested in then we are delving deep into what's been on sale over the last several weeks because this weeks choices are a bit slim . . .

Monday
I'm thinking roasted chicken legs are in order for Monday. They're yummy and easy and you can add any number of roasted veggies to your pot. And a one-pot meal is a pleasure to behold!

Tuesday
It will be spaghetti, or some variety of pasta, at the Hatchett house thig week. We're still in the throes of ball season and it's a quick, filling meal.

Wednesday
Y'all know the drill - it's church for us. Do you cook on Wednesdays?

Thursday
Pintos and cornbread! Apparently it's been a while since I fixed this because The Preacher was asking for them. Sounds good to me and maybe the weather will cool down just a bit more and give us a chilly night needing pintos to warm it up.

Friday
In one last nod to summer, we're going to have BLT's here on Friday. Tomatoes are on sale and I figured it was good time to enjoy these before you can only find wintery, anemic tomatoes on the shelves.

Price list coming tomorrow and I'm thinking we should be well within our $40 budget. Let me know if you see anything in the sale flyer I missed. What would you chose this week?

~Megan

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Firstly, I just have to apologize for the monstrous Shepherd’s Pie recipe I linked to last week. I had my doubts when looking at it and should have gone with my gut. Absolutely disgusting and zero flavor. Oddly enough my Beloved seemed to like it . . . but then again he rarely says anything bad about anything I make an effort to fix (except pink beef stroganoff – don’t ask). So, I will try to stick with recipes that I know work and aren’t offensive to taste buds.  :o/

Secondly, please bear with me as I have not posted this week’s 4 Under $40. It’s in progress, but there was a death in our church family and I had to make a quick trip out of town instead of my trip to Ingles. Tonight is either taco night or spaghetti night depending on your family preference so knock yourself out and I’ll try to have the numbers up this evening. An overview for the rest of the week is below.

Also, if you read my blogs I would love to see your name under “Followers.” Now that’s not follower in a creepy David Koresh kind of way, just looking to see if anyone out there in cyber-world is marginally interested in anything I’m doing here. I love getting emails from some of you who have sent me quick and easy weeknight recipes. I cannot wait for a chance to give them a shot.

Have a wonderful day!

~Megan

Tuesday

Have a Taco Tuesday or Spaghetti night tonight. Throw in lettuce and tomatoes and you have a great dinner.

Wednesday

Church! (I’m not sure I’ve harped enough on how wonderful it is to take my kiddos to church on Wednesday nights and let someone else worry about their dinner!)

Thursday

Pot Roast is a Sunday favorite around here, but since it does so well in the CrockPot I am not afraid to have it during the week as well.

Friday

Soup Night! I’ll post recipes for both Homemade Chicken Noodle and Leek and Potato soups. They are amazing. The chicken noodle will be a little cheaper and easier, but the Leek and Potato is worth every ounce of effort necessary. You’ll never go back to a loaded potato soup again!

4 Under $40 for 30 Sept 2012

Confession – I got a bit ambitious with my plans for this week. Now, my totals for the meals as I had planned is still only $47.55, but that is not less than 4 for $40 so I'm going to take a do-over and change the schedule. The ribs have to go. Though on sale, the $11.22/rack and sides was just more than this budget could handle.

Monday
Stay with the Shepherd's Pie today. It will be a super warming meal on this yucky, rainy day we've had. If you are still eating through the 10 lb bag of potatoes from 2 weeks ago you've brought your total even lower. If not, go for the 5# bag of golden potatoes for $2.50 and save the rest for an amazing Leek and Potato Soup next week.

Tuesday
My family loves chicken legs and though I don't love the way they taste I LOVE the way they are often priced. The $0.98/lb price is on the smaller packages so you'll probably need 2. And with this recipe you have a (nearly) 1 dish meal. (We leave mushrooms out of recipes around here so they were not included in my pricing.) If you have rice and cream of mushroom soup in your stash then you save money. If not, go for the Success Rice. At $1.78/box it's a steal and your rice will be finished and fluffy in under 10 minutes. Success Rice also makes a brown rice if you want to up the health/fiber factor. Laura Lynn Cream of . . . Soups are priced at $0.75 ea so stock up on these while you can.

Wednesday
!!Church!!

Thursday
Salmon and Thai Rice Noodles is tonight's dish. Now, if your family doesn't love Asian cuisine then you might want to use some of your extra ground beef and go for the Sloppy Joe's or Chili. Use what should be in your pantry from the last couple of weeks and you eat for the cost of a pound of beef only - $2.48lb this week! Otherwise here is a fabulously delicious and healthy recipe with extra veggies and it's one of my favorites –
Prepare 1 box of Thai Rice Noodles ($2.38) per box directions. Sprinkle with sesame oil so they won't be sticky and set aside.
In a small bowl wisk together 4T honey and 4T soy sauce. Put 1 lb salmon filet ($4.98) into dish with honey and soy sauce, flip to coat and let sit 5 min. Broil in an oiled baking dish for 6-7 min. Retain remaining sauce.
In a large skillet over med/high heat toast 2T sesame seeds until golden brown. (Watch closely!) Place into separate bowl. Into skillet place 2T coconut oil, 6 sliced green onions ($1), 2 chopped red bell peppers ($3) and 2 cups spinach ($2.84). Saute 3-4 min. Add noodles and remaining honey/soy sauce. Toss until heated through. Serve with salmon sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Like I said, this is a favorite and super yummy. Let me know what you think. Even if you don't go with the noodles and veggies the simple honey/soy sauce is great for a quick salmon broil.

Friday
Tonight, take advantage of the DiGiorno Advantage Deal and eat for $4.98. You can use some of the spinach you didn't use last night and serve the pizza with a salad or just eat the pizza alone. I noticed that Jell-O and Jell-O puddings are on sale for ($0.75) so grab a box and even have dessert.

 
Conclusion
While I am sorely disappointed about the ribs I'll be more careful next time. At only $7 over budget I was tempted to go for it anyway, but a $40 budget is a $40 budget. Besides, if you decide to do the salmon and need new pantry staples like Sesame Oil or Coconut Oil those will run you from about $6 to $9 per bottle/jar. Soy sauce is on sale in several different brands/sizes. $1.88 for 10 oz was the best deal I found. Don't miss out on the ground beef sale and buy extra before it goes back up to over $3/lb. (Ew.)
Below is the Grocery List. Enjoy!

 
~Megan

Meat	Per Lb Price	Quantity	Total
Ground Beef	$2.48	1#	$2.48
Salmon	$4.98	1#	$4.98
Chicken Legs	$0.98	3#	$2.94
Produce	Price	Quantity
Gold Potatoes	$2.50	5#	$2.50
Onions	$1.50	3#	$1.50
Green Onions	$1.00	2	$2.00
Red Bell Peppers	$3.00	2	$3.00
Fresh Express Spinach	$2.84	1	$2.84
Dairy	Price	Quantity
LL Sour Cream	$1.34	1	$1.33
LL Cheese	$1.67	2	$3.34
Freezer
DiGiorno Pizza	$4.48	1	$4.48
Grocery	Price	Quantity
DelMonte Green Beans	$0.70	1	$0.70
LL Cream of . . . Soup	$0.75	1	$0.75
Success Rice	$1.78	1	$1.78
Thai Rice Noodles	$2.38	1	$2.38
Kraft BBQ Sauce	$0.98	1	$0.98
Grand Total			$37.98